Leeds United are reportedly in talks to sign Sporting Lisbon defender Tobias Figueiredo in January.

The 23-year-old is out of favour at the Portuguese side and has featured just once this season after returning from a loan spell at fellow Primeira Liga outfit Nacional.

Figueiredo spent the 2016/17 season out on loan but other than a 12-minute cameo against Olympiakos in the Champions League, he has failed to become a regular fixture in Jorge Jesus' side and a January transfer for £3m is being discussed between Leeds and Sporting, according to A Bola.

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The Portuguese newspaper claims talks are already underway over a possible deal and also suggests Thomas Christiansen's side will have a free run at the centre-back, who has just over three years to run on his current deal at Sporting.

A loan deal remains a possibility but the report adds that Sporting would prefer to sell the player permanently, with Jesus understood to be interested in signing a new centre-back as back-up to Jeremy Mathieu and Sebastian Coates.

A new central defender could be prioritised by Christiansen in January given Leeds' lack of first-team ready options beyond first-choice duo Pontus Jansson and Liam Cooper, with Matthew Pennington struggling to secure regular first-team football.

Meanwhile, Leeds are among a cluster of clubs monitoring Josh Brownhill's contract standoff with Bristol City, according to TEAMtalk .

The Robins are determined to tie Brownhill down to a new deal with his contract due to expire this summer, but both Premier League and Championship clubs are eyeing up a potential move for the midfielder.

Brownhill moved to Ashton Gate in the summer of 2016 and Bristol City reportedly have the option to trigger a 12-month extension on his contract.